Prosecutors investigating whether corporations illegally financed the Republican Party's rise to dominance in the Texas Capitol are negotiating agreements with several companies accused of making improper political donations, and analysts say the discussions could help elicit important leads in the probe.

The Ethics Commission has approved fines against five businesses that exceeded contribution limits in giving to City Controller Laura Chick's 2001 campaign. The commission levied fines of $500 each against Rogers and Associates, Consensus Planning Group and the Drive Political Fund, as well as $250 each against International Union of Operating Engineers Local 501 and California Home Builders.

After months of independent investigation, federal and state authorities are finalizing plans to combine their public corruption probes of Los Angeles city government, according to law enforcement sources. The anticipated move by the U.S. attorney's office, Los Angeles County district attorney's office, FBI and U.S.

An appellate court ruled Wednesday that the state can sue Indian tribes to force disclosure of their political donations. In a 2-1 decision, the state 3rd District Court of Appeal rejected the claim of the Agua Caliente band of Cahuilla Indians that, as a sovereign entity, it is exempt from such suits. The judicial panel ruled that the state's "constitutional right to sue to preserve its republican form of government trumps the common law doctrine of tribal immunity."

When Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley accused 14 people of conspiring to violate Los Angeles' campaign finance laws, he launched a rare criminal prosecution in a city that usually tackles fundraising violations by imposing a fine. Enforcing campaign laws is generally left to the Los Angeles Ethics Commission, a reform agency created by voters in 1990 following a political scandal. In its 13 years, the panel has assessed about $1.37 million in penalties.

Four contractors said Tuesday that they unknowingly violated campaign finance rules but strongly denied being part of a criminal conspiracy to launder contributions to city politicians, as charged by a Los Angeles County grand jury. Roofing contractor Jerry Hein said he did reimburse workers for contributions they made to city candidates, according to Harland Braun, his attorney. "He told the D.A. when he was interviewed that he reimbursed his employees, but there was no conspiracy.

The owner of a strip club pleaded guilty Monday to attempting to bribe a police officer and three City Council members and, in a bid for leniency, agreed to provide "substantial assistance" in the prosecution of the council members and a lobbyist for the club. Michael Galardi, 41, of Las Vegas, owner of Cheetahs Totally Nude club, agreed to a plea bargain offered by federal prosecutors, who were willing to drop a long list of charges against Galardi in exchange for his help.

Prosecutors are investigating whether the quasi-public agency that issues film permits in Los Angeles County misused public funds by lavishing exorbitant tips at restaurants, sending its executives on Caribbean jaunts and donating money to politicians who sit on its board, according to court records and interviews. The Entertainment Industry Development Corp.

The owner of a defense firm working on an advanced guided-missile program was indicted Tuesday on 40 felony counts for allegedly funneling more than $75,000 in illegal contributions to the campaigns of four congressmen and a U.S. senator involved in awarding military contracts. Parthasarathi Majumder, owner of Science and Applied Technology Inc. of San Diego, allegedly arranged for employees and others to make the contributions and then reimbursed them, in violation of federal election law.

While Democrats launched a final push Monday for legislation to limit the influence of big-money donors, party officials said one contributor has given several million dollars this year to help build a national Democratic headquarters. The gift, when confirmed in federal disclosure reports due to become public next month, will apparently be the largest of the past decade to either of the major national parties.